Weeder



PATENT OFFICE.

AUSTIN E. MILLER, OF CHENEY, WASHINGTON.

WEEDER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 23, 1921.

Application filed August 12, 1919. Serial No. 316,957.

T 0 all 20 homit may 0072 cam Be it known that I, AUSTIN E. MILLER,

a citizen of the United States, residing at Cheney, in the county ofSpokane and State of Washington, have invented a new and useful'Vfeeder, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to new and useful improvements in a weeder foradvanta-' geously cutting and clearing the ground of weeds and the like.

An important object of the invention is to provide a weeder which willelfectively perform its functions upon uneven ground as well as levelsurfaces, and will not 1mpose excessive draft upon the drawing power.

Another object of my inventlon 18 to provide a weeder which may beconveniently divided into two separate weeders for use independently,provided the weeder before division thereof is too large for the work ortoo heavy for the drawing power.

A further object of the invention is to provide a weeder includingweeding ele ments and means for adjusting the cutting depth of saidelements.

A still further object of my invention is to provide a weeder includingweeding elements of novel and inex ensive construction and which arehighly e cient in practice.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a weeder embodyingmeans for clearing away all possible obstructions to the weedingelements.

Another object of my invention is to provide a device which is simple inconstruction, strong, durable, inexpensive to manufacture, and is highlyefficient in practice.

Other objects and advantages of the mvention will become apparent duringthe course of the following description.

In the accompanying drawings forming a part of the description andwhereln l ke numerals are employed to designate like parts throughoutthe same,

Figure 1 is a top plan of the invention;

Fig. 2 is a transverse section taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of one of the weeding elements;

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of one of the gages for governing thecutting depth of the weeding elements;

Fig. 5 is a plan View ment shown in Fig. 3.

In the accompanying drawings wherein for the purpose of illustration isshown a preferred embodiment of my invention the numeral 5 designatesthe frame of the weeder n general, which consists of a pair of similarbeams 6 normally extending in the same horizontal plane and detachablyand hingedly joined by hinge 7, which includes a removable pin 8. A pairof hinge rods 9, each have one end pivotally associated with the pin 8and its opposite end secured to one of said beams 6 to strengthen thehinge and insure durability of the device. Draft attachments 10 aresecured to the beams to facilitate attachments of any preferred form ofdrawing means. The frame also embodies in the present form, two pairs ofsections 11, one pair being pivotally connected to each beam 6intermediate the ends of each section through the medium of bolts 12extending transversely through the beams, and the sections are retainedin spaced relation to the beams by spacing collars 13, mounted upon thebolts, or any other suitable means. Manifestly the sections are normallyarranged in the same horizontal plane with the beams and swingvertically as uneven ground is encountered by the weeder.

Weeding elements 14, a plurality of which are secured to each section11, are each con structed froma single piece of material, preferably abar of steel. One end 15 of each element is secured to its respectivesection of the weeding elethrough the medium of the bolts 16, and hasits upper terminal provided with an upwardly extending 'lip 17 forengagement with the forward face of a section 11 to assist in retainingthe element in its proper position. The intermediate portion 18 of eachelement is inclined downwardly and rearwardly of the frame and foldedupon itself to form a pocketed shank, the pocket 19 of which opensdownwardly with respect to the frame to receive a clearing blade 20. Theopposite end 21 of each element is split centrally and longitudinally toform a pair of weeding blades 22 which are bent to extend in ahorizontal plane parallel to the frame 5. These weeding blades, one ofwhich is longer than the other, are flared or converge forwardly to theshank, and as usual their forward edges are provided 'with cutting closeproximity to the juncture of the weeding blades to insure the weedingblades of clearance of trash or other obstructions.

In order that the cutting depth of the weeding blades may be accuratelygoverned I provide a pair of L-shaped gages 23 for each section llarranged adjacent opposite ends of each section. A vertical arm 24 ofeach gage is vertically bifurcated whereby the shank of a bolt 25passing transversely through the section may pass through thebifurcation and securely retain the gages to the forward face of thesections. Manifestly the gages are readily adjustable vertically of theframe. The horizontal arm 26 of each gage is slightly arcuated upwardlyfor sliding contact with the surface of the ground.

Assuming that the device is prepared for use with the gages 23 adjustedto insure proper cutting depth of the Weeding blades,

the weeder is dragged or drawn along the ground and the clearing blades20 cut through the earth and obstructions to prepare a clear path forthe weeding blades. The cutting edges of the weeding blades, of coursecontact with and cut down weeds during the forward movement of thedevice. When an uneven area isexperienced, the beam 6 will swing uponthe hinge 7 whereby the frame readily adapts itself to the unevensurface. Oftentimes the uneven ground is not large enough to effect theswinging of the, beams 6, in which instance, the sections 11 will swingvertically to one side of a pivot or the other so that excessive cuttingthrough the ground will not be imposed upon the blades. When it is foundthat the cutting blades are entering the ground too deep, the bolts 25may be loosened whereby the gages 23 can be lowered and the frame 5 maybe further elevated from the surface of the ground.

Should the device be considered too large for the work, the two beams 6may be readily disconnected by removing the hinge pin 8 from the hinge,and either beam 6 and associated parts used separately.

The foregoing description and the drawings have reference to what may beconsidered the preferred, or approved form of invention. It is to beunderstood that I may make such changes in construction and arrangementsand combination of parts, materials, dimensions, etc., as may prove expeclient and fall within the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desireto secure by Letters Patent, is

1. A weeder comprising a frame, a plurality of weeding'elements mountedthereon, each of said elements consisting of a single piece of materialformed to present a pair of cutting blades and a pocketed shank, and aclearing blade secured in said pocket.

2. A weeder comprising a frame, a plurality of weeding elements securedthereto,

each of said elements consisting of a single piece of material, theintermediate portion of which is bent upon itself to form a pocketedshank and a clearing blade secured in the pocketed shank, saidintermediate por-.

tion being inclined downwardly and. rearwardly of the frame, the upperend of'said material being secured to said frame, and the lower end ofsaid material being split and flared to present a pair of rearwardlydiverging weeding blades arranged parallel to the ground.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto aflixedmy signature in the presence of two witnesses.

AUSTIN E. MILLER. Witnesses V. E. RoLrE, N. A; Home.

